Through the recommendation of a friend I came across Gold Coast, a riveting new novel by twin authors Edmund Gaisie and Edgar K. Gaisie. This upmarket fiction is unique for its wickedly clever plot that is balanced with factual historical content. Most importantly for me, the African characters are not your usual suspects portrayed by Western literature and Hollywood.
Instead Clinton Osei and his family restore a sense of heroism to the West African experience that is not fueled by the helplessness of their misfortune but the triumph of their legacy. With such duality of suspense and history the book reads like a hybrid novel written by Chinua Achebe (Things Fall Apart) and Mario Puzo (Godfather).
Follow Ghanaian –American Clinton Osei as he transitions from a successful New York City corporate consultant to principal of family owned, Accra based venture capital firm, Boateng-Osei Incorporated (BOI). Clinton shares his role as protagonist with BOI executives, his cousins George Boateng, Jasper Boateng, his aunt Maugerite Boateng and Clinton’s eldest charismatic uncle Oscar Boateng, the undisputed patriarch of the family.
Although part of Ghana’s one percent, BOI operates with a set of ethics and social codes which endear them to the reader. For instance, once B.O.I acquires their number 1 asset Kumasi Gold, they set out to do right by the communities by investing in them.
However, it is through BOI’s involvement in Ghana’s newly discovered oil, which reveals the book’s most nefarious characters, as foreign interests position to stake their claim on the country’s natural resources. It’s a game for keeps in which shrewd decisions are made and lives are lost in the balance. While the epic struggle over natural resources absorbs most of Gold Coast’s narrative, it is through the prequel style subplot of Clinton’s ancestry that Gold Coast gets its mystique. The narrative of yesteryear is humbling and a much needed compliment to the high gloss imagery of the modern day narrative.
While I do wish the authors mixed in more Ghanaian dialect through the dialogue, I do realize that some authenticity had to be curbed to accommodate the broader global audience, which this book is sure to attract. Gold Coast is a captivating book that will have you holding onto every word up until the last. A must read book that is bound to be on the big screen one day (in my opinion). You can now purchase Gold Coast novel in print or ebook form through your major retailers Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Createspace. Pick up your copy soon and feel free to comment on the book’s Facebook page, Twitter page and Gold Coast blog page to share your feedback.
Source: GhanaWeb
